10 Things To Know About Being A Student In South Africa

If you’re an American student considering going to college in South Africa, here are some things to know before you go.

Source: Blogs.elon.edu,  Matadornetwork.com

College is a luxury

As an American, it was probably never a possibility in your head that you wouldn’t go to college. Your high school in all likelihood had a counselor on staff whose specific duty it was to help kids get into college. But know that for most South Africans, college is not a given. It’s a possibility they’re aware of, but the expectation that it will certainly happen is not prominent like it is in the United States.

A lot of students will work

It’s a very real thought to South African high school graduates to just get a job if they cannot afford college. So expect that many of your South African classmates will also be working. The American mindset of loans and getting help from your parents isn’t as commonplace in South Africa.

Many students want to be in the U.S.

For most South Africans, going to college in the United States is the best way to get a college education. So while you might be going to a South African college to experience another culture, many South Africans might be confused as to why you would leave American colleges behind.

Your classmates might not be as ready as you are

Due to gross under-funding of many primary and high schools in South Africa, and poor salaries for teachers, many South African students are not as prepared for university level studies as you might expect.

College is cheap

Attending college in South Africa will cost a fraction of what it does in the United States. To give you an idea of the costs, some of the most well known universities in Cape Town and Johannesburg cost just around $4,000 per year for graduate programs.

 

You won’t live like a student

The cost of living for an American attending college in South Africa is very low. You can enjoy luxury living, instead of living off of top ramen and a futon.

Demographics are flipped

Whereas American schools are practically begging minorities to attend them, in South Africa, the population of most colleges is 90% black and 10% white.

There is almost no Greek life

Don’t expect red cups to roll through the streets here. There are very few fraternities or sororities in South Africa, and almost none at the major universities.

Multi-lingual staff

Most classes at South African universities are offered in two languages — English is usually one of them. Textbooks can be found in three languages.

There are no meal plans

There are hardly any meal plans at South African colleges and universities. So you better learn to cook before going to school here!